The universe is starting to balance itself out once again. Jesse Chavez is back in Atlanta, ready to do what he does best — provide some much-needed stability to a Braves bullpen that’s been, let’s just say, less than stellar to start the season.
The Braves have designated Héctor Neris for assignment in a corresponding move, swiftly ending an experiment that didn’t exactly go as planned.
Chavez Answers the Braves Call — Again
If it feels like you’ve seen this movie before, that’s because you have. Jesse Chavez is back for what seems like his umpteenth tour with the Braves.
The veteran reliever returned on a minor-league deal after being released by the Texas Rangers at the end of Spring Training. And sure enough, when the bullpen light flashed red, Chavez was the one to answer.
He made one quick stop in Triple-A Gwinnett, giving up an earned run over 1 1/3 innings in his lone appearance. But when the Braves need reinforcements, Chavez has always been the “break glass in case of emergency” kind of guy. And to his credit, he’s been reliable.
In 2024, Chavez made 46 appearances for Atlanta, pitching to a respectable 3.13 ERA over 63 1/3 innings. He was on fire midway threw the season, carrying a 1.17 ERA as of June 21.
His performance declined down the stretch though. Chavez posted a 4.96 ERA over his final 22 games, but the Braves are clearly hoping that the early-season version of him resurfaces.
The End of the Neris Experiment
It’s safe to say the Héctor Neris experiment is over. The veteran right-hander was brought in to bolster the bullpen, but instead, he became a walking disaster.
Neris somehow managed to allow five earned runs while only recording three outs in just two appearances. That’s an ERA of 45.00 for those brave enough to check the numbers. Yikes.
To make matters worse, the Braves’ bullpen as a whole hasn’t fared much better. They’ve coughed up nine earned runs in just 12 innings of work. Neris absorbed a chunk of that damage, but it’s been a rough stretch all around.
Combine that with an offense that’s gone 22 straight innings without scoring a run, and you get the first 0-4 start for Atlanta since 1980. It’s not exactly the way you want to kick off a season.
Can Chavez Help Right the Ship?
It’s not like Jesse Chavez is going to fix the bullpen by himself, but he can bring a level of steadiness that’s not there right now. Chavez knows the ins and outs of pitching under pressure at 41 years old. He’s a guy who doesn’t get rattled.
The Braves are heading into a daunting three-game series against the Dodgers, and this move is a clear attempt to stop the bleeding. If Chavez can eat some innings, keep the game within reach, and buy the offense time to snap out of their funk, then the Braves will have taken a step in the right direction.
It’s still early, Braves fans. And while the start has been ugly, baseball has a funny way of quickly turning things around. With Chavez back in the fold, maybe that turnaround starts now.
